Tie rack

ABSTRACT

A tie rack specially suited for travel is formed of a sheet of plastic or leather having a hook and transverse openings with flaps near the top for holding ties. Other openings near the bottom hold cuff links, tie tacks, tie clips, rings and credit cards. A plastic sleeve, having an open bottom and a top central opening to receive the hook, is provided for covering the sheet, ties and articles.

United States Patent 1191 Tobin [451 Jan. 8, 1974 TIE RACK 0205,2577/1966 Hellinger et a]. 1. 06/251 Inventor: Robert A. Tobin, 67 LakeBluff Dl9l,647 10/1961 Seeger D6/25l Rochester, NY. 14622 PrzmaryExamznerLeonard Summer [22] Filed: July 12, 1972 AttorneyCumpston, Shaw& Stephens [21] Appl. No.: 271,071

[57] ABSTRACT 52 us. c1 206/7 D, 211/89, 211/113, A tie rack speciallySuited for travel is formed of a 223 131 1 13 251 sheet of plastic orleather having a hook and trans- 151 1m. (:1 865d 85/18, A47f 5/08, A47f7/12 verse Openings with p near the p for holding ties- 58 Field ofSe3rch.....; 206/7 D, 7 c, 7 H, Other p g near the bottom l uff links,tie 206/78 R; 21 1/89, 1 l3; D6/25l; 223/DIG, 1 tacks, tie clips, ringsand credit cards. A plastic sleeve, having an open bottom and a topcentral opening to [56 References Ci receive the hook, is provided forcovering the sheet,

UNITED STATES PATENTS and armles- 3,081,012 3/1963 Sanders 206/7 D X 4Claims, 6 Drawing Figures a oooob EATENTEDJAN 81974 FIG-l FIG- 2 "rmRACK THE INVENTIVE IMPROVEMENT Many tie racks have been proposed overthe years, and they have included various features. The inventioninvolves recognition of the need for a tie rack especially suited fortravelling and combines many features for any optimum design of a traveltie rack that is more convenient, versatile, portable, and more easilyused than any previously known tie rack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventive tie rack has a generallyrectangular, single-piece, injection-molded plastic body having a thin,flat, flexible central portion with a textured surface and a thickenedbeading along each longitudinal edge. The upper region of the centralportion of the body has transverse openings between the side edgebeadings and a movable flap in each of the transverse openings.Relatively high hinge lines between the flaps and the body let the flapshinge open to receive ties in the transverse openings. The centralportion also has openings for receiving and storing other articles. Anintegral, hanging hook at the top end of the body is made so the sideedge beadings extend across the top edge of the body and along the edgesof the hook to terminate in an upper portion of the hook spaced morethan a closet bar diameter from the top edge of the body. The hook has athin, flexible tip extending beyond the termination of the hook edgebeadings toward the top edge of the body with the tip being bendable outof the plane of the body for moving the hook on or off the closet bar. Aplastic sleeve covers the body, ties, and articles, and the sleeve hasan open bottom, a top central opening to receive the hook, and shouldersto rest on the top edge of the body on opposite sides of the hook. Acomparable tie rack can also be formed of leather, and thearticle-storing openings preferably include ring and credit-card storageopenings.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of theinventive tie rack;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tie rack of FIG. 1, taken alongthe line 2 2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tie rack of FIG. 1, taken alongthe line 3 3 thereof;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of an alternative preferred embodiment ofthe inventive tie rack;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the tie rack of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a protective plastic sleeve for the tieracks of FIGS. 1 or 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Tie rack 10 of FIG. 1 is generally rectangular asillustrated and is injection molded ofa single piece of plastic to havea thin, flat, and flexible central portion 11 preferably having atextured surface for an attractive finish. A thickened beading 12extends along each longitudinal edge of central portion 11 forstiffening tie rack 10 so that it is able to stand up by itself ifleaned or propped against a wall or an object. Beadings 12 also helpcenter ties on tie rack 10 and help spread open a protective plasticsleeve that fits over tie rack 10 as described below.

The upper portion of body 11 has transverse slots 13 forming openingsnormally covered by movable flaps 14. Relatively thin hinge lines 15 aremolded in between flaps l4 and body 11 to allow flaps 14 to hinge openfreely and repeatedly to receive ties in transverse slots or openings13. As best shown in FIG. 3, flaps 14 can be pivoted open so that afolded tie can be inserted under a flap 14 to hang down on each side oftie rack 10 and be held in place by the resilient tendency of flap 14 toclose on the folded tie.

Body 11 also has other openings 16 inside beadings 12 for receiving andstoring tie tacks, pins, and the like. Larger openings 17 insidebeadings 12 receive and store cuff-links, collar clips, tie clips, andthe like.

Body 11 also preferably includes a ring storage device, two preferredforms of which are illustrated. Each preferred ring storer has a pair ofspaced apart apertures 18 connected by a slit 19 or' 20. Slit 19 extendsstraight between apertures 18 so that a ring can be pushed into slit 19by bending the plastic material adjacent slit 19 until opposite edges ofthe ring lodge in apertures 18 for storage. Slit 20 is curved asillustrated to provide an upright finger between apertures 18. Thefinger formed by slit 20 is bent outward from the plane of body 11 and aring is slid down the finger until its opposite sides lodge in apertures18.

Preferably near the bottom of body 11 is a creditcard storer having aprojection 21: extending outward from the face of body 11 and a pair ofspaced-apart edge clips 22 that are bent out from the plane of body 11and have free ends 23 bent back toward the plane of body 11 asillustrated. A credit card can then be slid down between edge clips 22to rest against projection 21 and be held in place by the resilient biasof edge clips 22. The injection molding of tie rack 10 allows projection21 and edge clips 22 to be formed readily in the molding process.

The top of tie rack 10 has an integral hanging hook 24, and beadings 25similar to beadings 12 extend across the top of tie rack 10 and followalong the oppo site side edges of hook 24 as illustrated. Beadings 25have terminal ends 26 in an upper portion of hook 24 spaced from the topedge of tie rack 10 by a little more than the diameter of a closet bar.Hook 24 has an extension 27 going beyond the beading terminations 26 andcurving downward toward the top of tie rack 10.

Extension 27 is formed of relatively thin plastic mate-' rial like body11 so that it is flexible and can readily be bent from the plane of tierack 10. I-Iook 24 can then be placed over or removed from a closet barby bending extension 27 out of the plane of tie rack 10.

A protective sleeve 28 formed generally as a plastic tube is shaped toslide over tie rack 10 and any ties or other articles it contains forcleanliness and protection. Sleeve 28 has an open bottom 29, a topcentral opening 30, and sealed shoulders 31. Sleeve 28 can then be slidover tie rack 10 and its contents until'hook 24 emerges through opening30, and shoulders 31 rest on the top of tie rack 10 on opposite sides ofhook 24.

Tie rack 35 of FIGS. 4 and 5 has comparable characteristics but isformed of leather. A relatively thick piece of leather 36 has a topopening 37 to receive a hook 38 having a base bar 39. The top edge ofleather piece 36 is looped over base bar 39 with hook 338 extendingthrougb top opening 37, and stitching 41 secures loop 40 to leatherpiece 36 to anchor hook 38 in place.

Die-cut transverse slots 42 made in leather piece 36 form openingscovered by flaps 43 for hinging aside to store ties as previouslydescribed. Openings l6 and 17 such as previously described are die-cutin leather piece 36, as are ring-holder openings 18 and their connectingslits l9 and 20. Stitching 44 extends along the side edges and bottom ofleather piece 36, and. a creditcard holder is formed as a pocket 45secured to leather piece 36 by stitching 46. Protective sleeve 28 canalso be fitted over tie rack 35 if desired.

The inventive travel tie rack is sized to carry a few ties needed for atrip and to hold them neatly and conveniently in place in a tie rackthat can be hung on a closet bar, laid down flat or leaned againstsomething. The rack is quite manageable and easy to use, is attractivein appearance and durable and reliable in holding ties. It is alsoformed economically of simple materials and can be made in quantity.Besides holding ties, it carries or stores associated items of jewelry,including rings, and it can also carry and store credit cards.

Persons wishing to practice the invention should remember that otherembodiments and variations can be adapted to particular circumstances.Even though one point of view is necessarily chosen in describing anddefining the invention, this should not inhibit broader or relatedembodiments going beyond the semantic orientation of this applicationbut falling within the spirit of the invention. For example, thoseskilled in the art will understand various materials, sizes, shapes andconstructions that can be usd in making variations on the inventive tierack.

I claim:

1. A tie rack comprising:

a. a generally rectangular, single-piece, injectionmolded plastic bodyhaving a thin, flat, flexible central portion with a textured surfaceand a thickened beading along each longitudinal edge;

b. the upper region of said central portion of said body having aplurality of transverse openings between said edge beadings;

c. a movable flap in each of said transverse openings;

d. relatively thin hinge lines between said body and said flaps so saidflaps can hinge open to receive ties in said transverse openings withsaid ties held in place by said flaps;

e. said central portion having openings for receiving and storingarticles;

f. an integral hanging hook at body;

g. said edge headings extending across the top edge of said body andalong the edges of said hook;

h. said edge headings on said hook terminating in an upper portion ofsaid hook spaced more than a closet bar diameter from said top edge ofsaid body;

. said hook having a thin, flexible tip extending beyond saidtermination of said hook edge beading toward said top edge, said tipbeing bendable out of the plane of said body for moving said hook on oroff said closet bar;

j. a plastic sleeve for covering said body, ties, and articles; and

k. said sleeve having an open bottom, a top central opening to receivesaid hook, and shoulders to rest on said top edge of said body onopposite sides of said hook.

2. The tie rack of claim 1 wherein said article-storing openings includea ring storing opening having a pair of spaced-apart apertures connectedby a slit so that the plastic adjacent said slit can be bent from theplane of said body to insert a ring into said spaced apertures.

3. The tie rack of claim 2 wherein said slit curves to form an uprightfinger bendable from the plane of said body.

4. The tie rack of claim 1 wherein said article-storing openings includea projection and a pair of side clips bent out from the plane of saidbody above said projection and having free ends turned back toward theplane of said body so a credit card can be slid down between said sideclips to be supported above said projection and resiliently gripped bysaid side clips.

the top end of said

1. A tie rack comprising: a. a generally rectangular, single-piece,injection-molded plastic body having a thin, flat, flexible centralportion with a textured surface and a thickened beading along eachlongitudinal edge; b. the upper region of said central portion of saidbody having a plurality of transverse openings between said edgebeadings; c. a movable flap in each of said transverse openings; d.relatively thin hinge lines between said body and said flaps so saidflaps can hinge open to receive ties in said transverse openings withsaid ties held in place by said flaps; e. said central portion havingopenings for receiving and storing articles; f. an integral hanging hookat the top end of said body; g. said edge beadings extending across thetop edge of said body and along the edges of said hook; h. said edgebeadings on said hook terminating in an upper portion of said hookspaced more than a closet bar diameter from said top edge of said body;i. said hook having a thin, flexible tip extending beyond saidtermination of said hook edge beading toward said top edge, said tipbeing bendable out of the plane of said body for moving said hook on oroff said closet bar; j. a plastic sleeve for covering said body, ties,and articles; and k. said sleeve having an open bottom, a top centralopening to receive said hook, and shoulders to rest on said top edge ofsaid body on opposite sides of said hook.
 2. The tie rack of claim 1wherein said article-storing openings include a ring storing openinghaving a pair of spaced-apart apertures connected by a slit so that theplastic adjacent said slit can be bent from the plane of said body toinsert a ring into said spaced apertures.
 3. The tie rack of claim 2wherein said slit curves to form an upright finger bendable from theplane of said body.
 4. The tie rack of claim 1 wherein saidarticle-storing openings include a projection and a pair of side clipsbent out from the plane of said body above said projection and havingfree ends turned back toward the plane of said body so a credit card canbe slid down between said side clips to be supported above saidprojection and resiliently gripped by said side clips.